X-ray film package

ABSTRACT

A package comprising a light-proof envelope or bag containing a plurality of X-ray film sheets stacked for co-operation with a dispensing machine and useful in a daylight handling system for daylight loading and unloading of cassettes. The film sheets are identical and may have a photographic emulsion layer on one or both surfaces. The adjacent films in the stack have their surfaces in contact. Each sheet has a cut-away portion along one edge thereof for coacting with a film selector cam. In the stack, the sheets are alternated so that the cut-away portions lie along a common stack edge and are arranged in two parallel rows. The cut-away portions in adjacent sheets are in different rows and in superposition. After the package is in a dispenser, the envelope or bag is stripped from the stack so that the sheets can be removed one at a time from the stack and passed into film holders or cassettes engaged with the dispensing machine.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No.52,980, filed July 7, 1970, for X-ray Film Package..]..].

.Badd.This application is a reissue of Serial No. 466,402 filed May 2,1974 which is reissue Patent No. 28,438, dated June 3, 1975 which inturn is a reissue of Serial No. 136,530 filed Apr. 22, 1971 now PatentNo. 3,741,386, dated June 26, 1973 which is a continuation-in-part ofSerial No. 52,980, filed July 7, 1970, now abandoned. .Baddend.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to an X-ray film package particularlyuseful in a daylight handling system of the type disclosed in my U.S.Pat. application Ser. No. 52,848, filed on July 7, 1970, for "DaylightFilm Handling System."

In the conventional use of X-ray films, as by dental and medicaltechnicians, an X-ray film sheet is normally loaded into a cassette in adarkroom, exposed with the patient and then again taken into thedarkroom for removal from the cassette for processing. The necessity ofdarkroom handling of the X-ray film is inconvenient, time-consuming andcostly.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and dependable,light-proof package of photographically-sensitive film sheets and, moreparticularly, X-ray films from which the film sheets can be withdrawnone at a time. Another object is to provide such a package useful in afilm handling system and film unloading machine which enables a filmsheet to be loaded into a cassette in daylight without inadvertentlyexposing the film.

In accordance with the present invention, the photosensitive film sheetsare provided with cut-away portions of small area along one edge priorto being placed in superposition into an actinic light-impermeableenvelope or bag. .Iadd.When placed in superposition, the cut-awayportions form discontinuous, parallel rows which are spaced equidistantfrom opposite sides of a center line perpendicular to a common edge of astack of the film sheets .Iaddend..Badd.and spaced from the corners ofthe stack.Baddend.. The cut-away portions can be of various shapes,e.g., arcuate, including semi- or quarter-circular, triangular, square,or other shapes, and of suitable area for co-operation with a suitablefilm selector cam of a dispensing device or machine.

Preferably, the cut-away areas are spaced a short distance from a centerline perpendicular to the ends of a film sheet. When a plurality ofsheets are stacked with the orientation of successive sheets beingalternated, the cut-away portions of alternate sheets will be in tworows, and preferably along a common edge. In a stack of 100 sheets, forexample, the 50 odd sheets will have their cut-away portions insuperposition in one row, while the 50 even sheets will have thecut-away portions in superposition in a second row.

By having the cut-away portions a short distance from the center linerather than as cut-away or chamfered corners, different sizes of filmwill interfit with the set film selector cams of a dispensing device ormachine.

In cutting or punching the films to provide a cut-away area to preventimproper assembly of a stack of films, it is best to cut or punchopposite ends or sides of the film in the same manner. This will preventone film from being assembled in the stack with no cut-away area overboth superposed rows of cut-away.

A package in accordance with the present invention is useful inconjunction with a light-tight dispenser which stores the film sheetstack, and is capable of being operated to strip the envelope from thestack and to then dispense one sheet at a time from the stack. Sheetsare dispensed one at a time by alternately rotating a pair of filmselector cams adapted to bear against the stack in alignment with thetwo rows of cut-away portions to free the outermost sheet from the stackwhen one cam moves out of engagement therewith and the other cam movesinto alignment with the respective cut-away portion in the other row.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating a stack of X-ray film sheetshaving semi-circular cut-away portions in superposition.

FIG. 2 is a similar isometric view of a stack of X-ray film sheetswherein the cut-away portions are at the corners of the film sheets.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a film package of the invention, and

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an alternative film package showing theends of the envelope folded back onto and taped to the package.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawing showing a stack of X-ray filmsheets having cut-away areas on opposite ends of the film sheets, theenvelope or bag is not shown. In accordance with this preferredembodiment of the invention, all of the film sheets 20 have asemicircular cut-away area along each opposite common stack edges 21 and22, the cut-away areas being spaced from a center line 24 extendingperpendicular to edges 21 and 22. All of the sheets 20 have an identicalcut-away essentially semicircular portion 26 formed in edge 22 at acertain distance, d, from center line 24. The film sheets 20 are stackedwith the cut-away portions of successive sheets being alternated so thatcut-away portions in even sheets be along a common stack edge and are insuperposition to form one row. The cut-away portions in odd sheets, inlike manner, form a second row of cut-away portions in superposition. Ina stack of one hundred film sheets, the fifty odd numbered sheets in thecut-away portions form row 28 and in the even numbered sheets, thecut-away portions form row 30.

The stack of film sheets having cut-away portions, as shown in FIGS. 3and 4, are enclosed within an actinic light-opaque or impermeableenvelope or bag 32 that is permeable to X-rays. Preferably, the envelopeis made of flexible plastic material opaque to actinic radiation. Thematerial may be polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride/acetate,etc., containing a light-absorbing pigment or opacifying agent, forexample, carbon black. Alternatively, the envelope can be made ofopaque, multi-ply paper, for example, two-ply paper, one of which isopaque. The envelope preferably is made sufficiently long so that itsleading and trailing edges 34 and 35 extend beyond the leading andtrailing edges 36 and 37 of the film sheets in the envelope. Edge 34 or35 can be tapered. The envelope is sealed (preferably heat sealed) alongthe bottom edge 39 and along line 38. A hole 40, with its peripheryheat-sealed, can be provided in the leading edge of the envelope forengagement with a pin on a mandrel. However, the leading edge can beattached to a mandrel or other envelope-removing member in other ways.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ends of the envelope are folded over the ends ofthe package and along a face of the envelope. The end of the foldedportion can be attached to the face by means of pressure-sensitive tape41.

In using the film package, it is inserted into a dispenser machine, theleading end of the film is freed from any sealing tape and attached to arotatable bar or mandrel. The trailing end of the envelope is cut by asuitable knife while in a light-lock position. Then, when the package isin a light-tight dispenser, the envelope is pulled off the stack offilms. This can be done in a dispenser machine, as shown in myapplication Ser. No. 52,848, filed July 7, 1970.

In removing the film sheets from the stack in a dispenser, a filmselector cam will be in superposition over one row of cut-away portionsand another cam will be in superposition with the other row. As one camis rotated on the top film sheet, it will jump out from the stack andcam, slide over the outer surface of the other cam, and pass through adischarge orifice into a cassette or film holder. By returning one caminto the cut-away portion and rotating the other cam, the next sheetwill jump out from the stack in like manner. This action can be repeateduntil the entire stack of film sheets is dispensed.

The novel film package can be placed in any suitable outer box, e.g., aslip-cap box, for protection and shipment.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that applicant hasprovided a novel daylight loading film package. When used in a properdispensing machine or apparatus, the film sheets can be successivelywithdrawn from the machine and introduced into a cassette. The packageis simple, but effective and dependable. It does not require thepresence of separate interleaving opaque paper sheets or folders.Individual film sheets do not have to be withdrawn by hand in a darkroomand transferred to an open cassette.

I claim:
 1. A film package for use in a daylight handling system, saidpackage comprisinga. a plurality of substantially identicalphotographically sensitive film sheets, each sheet having a .Iadd.single.Iaddend.cut-away portion of small area along an edge thereof,saidsheets being stacked in alternating superposition .[..[.wherebythe.]..]..Badd., said .Baddend.cut-away portions of alternate sheets.[..[.form.]..]. .Badd.forming .Baddend.discontinuous, .[.spacedapart,.]. parallel rows .Iadd..[..[.which are.]..]..Iaddend. .Badd.beingspaced from the corners of the sheets in said stack and.Baddend..Iadd.spaced equidistant from opposite sides of a center lineperpendicular to a common edge of said stack; .Iaddend.and b. covermeans opaque to actinic radiation surrounding said stack. .Badd..[.
 2. Apackage according to claim 1 wherein said rows are spaced apart along acommon edge of said stack..]..Baddend. .Badd..[.3. A package accordingto claim 2 wherein said rows are spaced equidistant from opposite sidesof a center line perpendicular to said common edge..]..Baddend..Badd..[.4. A package according to claim 3 wherein said cut-awayportions are essentially semicircular..]..Baddend.
 5. A packageaccording to claim .Badd..[.3.]..Baddend. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein saidcut-away portions .[..[.are.]..]. .Badd.being .Baddend.present in theleading and trailing edges of each sheet .[..[.thereby.]..]. providingdiscontinuous, spaced apart, parallel rows in the leading and trailingedges of said stack.
 6. A package according to claim 1, wherein thecut-away areas are essentially semicircular in shape.
 7. A packageaccording to claim 1, wherein the cover means is a flexible plasticenvelope.
 8. A package according to claim 1, wherein the film sheets arerectangular; and whereinthe cover is an envelope of flexible plasticmaterial having a width equal to the width of the sheets and a lengthgreater than the length of the film sheets.
 9. A package according toclaim 1, wherein the film sheets are rectangular; and wherein the coveris an envelope of flexible plastic material having a width equal to thewidth of the sheets and in length extending beyond the length of thefilm sheets and adapted to be folded over the respective ends of thestack and taped to the face of the envelope.
 10. A package according toclaim 9, wherein one extended end of the envelope is tapered.